Removable glass light or lens for sidewalks, vault covers, and the like



Aug. 6, 1929. A. o. sTRoM 1,723,634

- REIOVABLE GLASS LIGHT OR LENS FOR SIDE- VIALKS, VAULT COVERS, AND THE LIKE Original Filed April 20. 1927 lillll'llllmlllllll IN V EN TOR. @am

`- A TTORN l Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADQLPH OLIVER` simon, or ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA.

REMOVABLE GLASS LIGHT OR SIDEWAIJKS, VAIILT COVERS, AND THE LIKE.

Application filed April 20, 1927, `Serial No. 185,321. Renewed April 8, 1929.

This invention relatesito vault covers and sidewalk lights.

Ilitherto, the most common method of constructing vault covers and sidewalk 5 `lights was to provide an open trame formed with sockets to receive transparent lenses. The lenses were secured in position on the frame by filling the intersticcs between the lenses with cement or other suitable matel0 rial. The cement secured the lenses in position and also rendered the cover' or sidewalk water-proof.

This construction had several disadvan tages, the principal one of which was the 1l tact that in the event that a leus was broken 'it was necessary to. chip out the broken lens and the surrounding cementitious material an d then insert a new lens and cement it into place. This replacement opinfation required the labor oi.' a skilled mechanic and also ne ccssitated that the area iu which the lens 'was replaced be barricaded from pedestrians until the cement properly set. It therefore obvious that such replacements were com- 25 paratively costly and` at the saine time ne-4 cessitated. the maintenance of an undesirable barrier to prevent pedestrians from disturbing thc repair.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved construction for sidewalk and `vault lights which overcomes the disadvantages of prior constructions and methods and which enables the lenses to be replaced` qiiiickly and inex- :r' pensively `with the use of unskilled labor` and without the use o't' cementitious material which requires protection until set.`

In carrying this invention into practice I provide sockets adapted to be arranged at spaced distances apart on an inexpensive framework. lVhen the sockets are arranged iu place the interstices between them. are {illed with suitable cementitions material to which the sockets and iframe are4 keyed. Lenses are removably fitted to the sockets, each lens having a seliiarate clamping medium for clamping the lens into place and forming a watertight joint to prevent leakage. As the lenses are removably mounted in the sockets ll l) lill they can be expeditiously removed when broken and quickly replaced without disturbing the sockets or the general assembly.

One form, which the invel'ltion may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a :fragmentary View in cross-section through a vault cover constructed, iu accordance with my present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in plan of the same.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a cylindricall type of socket embodying my invention with parts thereof broken away to more clearly disclose its construction.

Fig. 4 a perspective view of a square type of socket embodying the invention with parts thereof broken away to more clearly disclose i l formation.

Referring more )nrrticularly to the accom panying lrawings, I have illustrated a sidewalk or vault cover with my improved means for receiving lenses. This improved means includes an open framework 1.0 which in thel present instance I have disclosed as constructed of inverted T beams arranged in parallelism at equally apart. Arranged between the T beams are `lens holders or sockets 4 which are most clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The lens holders or sockets flare preferably oi? light metallic construction so that they may be inexpensively produced by die stamping. These holders or sockets 4 cau be cylindricaly.` square or other design at the option of the manufacturer. In Fig. 3 I have shown a socket of cylindrical design while in Fig. l I have shown a socket oil square outline. In allessentials, however, these two types ot sockets are indentical.

It will be noticed that each socket is formed with a channel 7` at its lower end which is contiguous to the inner periphery of the shell of the socket. receives a `gasket 3 as illustrated in Fig. l. A lens l provided for each socket, `the upper end of this lens being of the same contour as the socket..and of substantially the same dimensions as the socket so that it will snugly nest therein. The lower end of the lens is reduced and c 1lin(lrical in form so that it will.` project through the open bottom of the socket 4.

The cylindrical lower end the lens 1 is threai'led as at 2 and receives a nut 6. This spaced distances i This channel 7 nut 6 is of a dimension so that it will engage the bottom of the socket when threaded onto the threaded lower end of the lens to clamp the lens in place in the socket. It will be noticed from Fig. 1 that by drawing up on the nut 6 that the gasket 3 will be compressed to an extent forming a Watertightr joint between the socket and the lens and bringing the upper surface of the lens flush with the top edge of the socket.

In practicing the invention, the frame 1() is laid and the sockets 4 are positioned with their lower ends bearing on the adjacent flanges of the T beams which comprise the frame. Cementitious material is then filled in the nterstices between the sockets and finished flush with the top edges of the sockets. The sockets 4 are fitted with flanges 5 or other keying means to form a key between the cement and the sockets. The frame 10 is also keyed to the cement by means of the body portion of the T beams of' the frame.

When the cement has set, the sockets and the frame 10 will be united into a rigid structure. The gaskets 3 are then applied to the sockets and the lenses are then fitted into place. lVhen the nuts 6 are drawn up, the lenses 1 will be drawn into place compressing the gaskets 3 and forming a watcr tight joint between the lenses and the sockets. The lenses will also be drawn to such a positionk that their upper surfaces will be flush with the upper edges ofthe sockets and the cement filling.

Should a lens` be broken, it is only necessary to remove the nut 6 and withdraw the broken lens. A new lens may then be inserted and the nut 6 applied and drawn up to position the lens properly in place.

This isa very simple operation and does not require the use of skilled labor. Also the sockets and cementitious material need not be disturbed when making a replacement which eliminates the necessity of erecting a. barrier about a repaired area on the side walk or vault cover.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a very efficient and inexpensive structure for vault covers and sidewalks which enables the lenses to be readily replaced when broken.

lVhile I have shown the preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its construction by those skilled in the art without departinv' from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appende'd claims.

I claim 1. In a side-walk structure of the class described, a set of T beams placed parallel to each other and imbedded in concrete, lens holders supported directly by the flanges of said T beams, eachof said holders having a fiange on the exterior' imbedded in the said concrete and a flange in the interior at the bottom, an upturned lip at. the bottom flange forming a pocket for a packing and producing a water-proofl joint between the walls of the lens and lens holder, said lens having a narrowed threaded neck at the bottom, and a nut adapted to engage said neck t'or firmly holding said lens in place.

2. In a structure of the character described, an open trame, a. plurality of separate lens holders supported by the frame, the spaces between the trame and the holders being filled with cementitious material. the cementitious material being finished flush with the upper edges of the holders, keying means on the exterior of each holder embedded in the cementitious material, a channel formed at the bottom of each holder contiguous to the inner periphery thereof, packing means in said channel, a. lens for each holder, said lens having a portion snu gly fitting the socket above the packing means and abutting on the packing means, the lower end of said lens having a narrowed threaded neck, and a nut adalfifed to threadedly engage said neck and abut against the bottom of the holder .fior firmly holding said lens in place.

3. In a structure of the character described, an open frame, a plurality of sep- -7 arate lens holders arranged on the frame and supported thereby, the spaces between the holders and the frame being filled with cementitious material, keying means on the exterior of each holder embedded in the cementitious material, said cementitious material being finished flush with the top edges of the holders, each holder having a flange in the ,interior thereof at the lower end thereof, an upturned lip at the inner periphery of said interior flange forming an annullar pocket, a gasket arranged in said pocket and projecting lslightl above said lip, a lens for cach holder, each lfns comprising yan upper portion snugl fitting within the holder and bearing on tie gasket, a lower portion reduced in cross-section and projecting through the holder, said lower portion being threaded, and a nut threaded on said lower portion and abutting against the bottom of the holder to draw the lens downwardlv and connn'ess the gasket forming a water'- tight joint between the lens and lens holder and positioning the upper .face of the lens flush with the upper edge of the holder.

et. A lens and holderfor the purpose described, said holder comprising a, shell, keving means at the exterior of the shell adapted to be embedded in cementitious material. the lower end of the shell being i nturned and then upturned to t'orm an annular channel. a gasket in said channel, said gasket when expanded adapted to project slightly above said upturned edge, a lens having ain upper portion adapted `to snugly fit within the Nfl llt)

shell above the gasket and to bear on the gasket, said lens having a loWer portion of reduced diameter projecting through the holder, said reduced portion being threaded, a nut `threaded on the reduced portion and adapted to abut against the bottom of the holder to draw the lens down into the .shell and compress the gasket to form a waterprooi joint between the lens and holder, the depth of the upper portion of the lens being 10 such that it will lie flush with the upper edge of the shell when the nut is drawn np to clamp the lens in position.

ADGLPH OLIVER STROlVI. 

